Student guide Faculty of Economics A.Y. 2008/09

Marketing can be termed a management "philosophy" which seeks to establish an efficient link between the firm and the environment in which it operates.
Therefore, marketing is not just a company function, but rather a way of thinking and acting which pervades the enterprise: for this reason, the Marketing course is a crucial part of the syllabus, regardless of the training and career pathway which the student is planning to follow.
In detail, the learning objectives of the course are:
1. to generate an awareness of the interrelations which exist between the elements of the "demand-supply-intermediation" system and those internal to the "corporate" system;
2. to impart the fundamental models and concepts for correctly defining and setting up corporate market policies;
3. to develop an understanding of the workings and effects of operational marketing tools on the degree of corporate competitiveness.

Marketing cognitive analysis:
1. the marketing concept and the relations between market and firm;
2. quantitative and qualitative analysis of demand;
3. the purchasing behaviour of consumers;
4. the segmentation of demand.

Strategic and operational marketing:
1. product positioning;
2. the marketing mix;
3. the product life cycle;
4. corporate communication: the areas of communication;
5. external marketing communication tools;
6. distribution policies: structure of the distribution system and the role of commercial intermediaries;
7. choosing and managing channels;
8. sales policies;
9. price determination; cost, demand and competitive orientation;

In-depth studies:
1. marketing of services;
2. marketing of business-to-business goods;
3. international marketing;
4. trade marketing.

There will be a written and an oral exam.
Admission to the oral exam is conditional on having passed the written exam; each written exam is valid only for the current examination session.

Fiocca R., Guatri L., Vicari S., Marketing, McGraw-Hill, Milano, 2000.
Guerini C., (a cura di), Percorsi evolutivi del marketing, Milano, Guerini Studio, last edition.